Ghost Hunt: Family Ties
by SeaChelles09
Summary: Guess what? ANOTHER GHOST HUNT BY KAZUMI09! Enjoy! The SPR team takes on a case of a popular American tale...
1. Prolouge

_**Ghost Hunt: Family Ties**_

**Prologue**

---

_Hey there, Katrina here! Here's another _Ghost Hunt_ fanfic brought to you by yours truly! This story a sequel to '_Relic Night,' _my first _Ghost Hunt_ story._

_Koaimi and Reimi both appear. Koaimi's 16 and Reimi's 11. If you haven't read '_Relic Night'_ yet, don't worry. I'll make sure that you catch up. This is set a year after _'Relic Night.'

_Also, my (real life) friend, who commented on my first Ghost Hunt story (her name's Jac) wanted to put her made-up in :) Anyway, enjoy!!_

_Love always,_

_Katrina_

_P.S I'm putting random quotes from volumes 1-5 of Ghost Hunt for chapter quotes. I just flip through a book and land on a random page where I pick a quote XD If you have a favorite quote from any of the Ghost Hunt manga that you want to see in the beginning of the chapters, email me and put 'Ghost Hunt' as the title! _


	2. Chapter 1: SPR

_**Ghost Hunt: Family Ties**_

**Chapter One:** SPR

"_Naru had this all planned out…"_

Yeah! Long chapter 1! Something to keep you occupied if I vanish again :P

Xoxo, Katrina.Izumi09

---

A lone breeze drifted in through the open window and ruffled the hair of the sleeping employee who gave a small snore to indicate she was definitely in her own little dream world. She didn't even stir as the papers on her desk, the papers she had been filing all day, slid onto the ground with a small _plup._ The office door labeled '_Kazuya Shibuya: President_' opened with a _creak._ The boy who stepped through the door gave a disgruntled snort to his sleeping employee and walked over to the open window. He stuck his head out into the cool evening air and closed his eyes. He desperately needed a break, but he loved his job so much. Why would he need to get away from doing what he loved to do the most? The snore behind him gave him his answer: he had been overworking his employees for one whole agonizing month. The boy, Kazuya Shibuya, known as Naru by others for his narcissistic behavior, shoved his head back in and slammed the window shut. The snoring employee jumped awake in surprised and resumed to shuffling the invisible papers on her desk.

"Naru, I didn't hear you leave your office," Mai Taniyama said groggily, her eyelids half-closed and a yawn wanting to escape her lips. "I just finished shuffling the papers from the last case-"

"Which are now scattered on the floor-again," Naru answered calmly as Mai glanced at the invisible stack of papers on her desk to the real stack now lying sprawled all over the floor. She slapped her forehead and groaned escaped her lips as she sank back into her seat.

"I spent hours on those!" she exclaimed as she glared at the floor, now fully awake. "I'm sorry boss; I'll have them done for you tonight!"

"Go home," Naru said bluntly as he turned his back on Mai and returned to his office. "Just pick them up and stick them in Lin's box. You're going to help me interview someone tomorrow. I need you to bring a pen and paper in order to take notes. She'll be filling in your spot during summer vacation."

"Wait-what's going on summer vacation-?" Mai demanded. But Naru shut the door in her face. The brunette girl glared at the office door for a few seconds before gathering her things and exiting the office…

"Freedom!"

The high school doors flew open as a mad crowd of students rushed from the school. It was finally the first week of July, which meant three weeks of school vacation due to the expected heat wave moving into Japan. Mai Taniyama was the last student to leave, taking her time to enjoy all the Sakuras that were starting to bud on the trees.

"Are you coming by later, birthday girl?" Michiru asked Mai as she and her other two friends turned to look at her. "I can't believe it; our Mai-chan is finally seventeen years old! We have a big party planned for you!"

"Don't tell her that!" Kiko exclaimed, fuming at Michiru. "It's supposed to be a surprise."

"It's not anymore, is it?" Mai said, smirking. "I can't, guys, sorry. I have work to go to. I'll drop by later though."

"Oh, that Shibuya-san is working you to death!" Mina said, putting a hand on her hip. "At least come by for cake later on, okay?"

Mai smiled and promised them. They walked and gossiped until they reached Mai's bus stop. Things have changed since Mai started working at Shibuya Psychic Research Center two years ago. First they were sophomores in high students telling ghost stories, but now they were slightly older high school students who still love telling ghost stories but were cautious about it. Especially Mai.

Mai, who had just spaced out, blinked as something caught her attention. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to call out, but the city bus came between her and the diversion. The doors slid open, waiting for the short-haired girl to step in. Mai tried to look around the bus, but gave up. After all, it could've only been an illusion.

"Mai-chan! You're late!"

Mai glanced up in surprise as the lights snapped on. Every one of her friends from SPR was crowded into the small room. A large banner labeled "Happy Seventeen Taniyama-San!" hung from the ceiling along with colorful streamers and balloon. A large chocolate cake sat on Mai's worktable with candles already half-burned.

She couldn't admit to her friends she spent half of the afternoon looking for her Diversion. Yes, it had a name now. But, she couldn't tell them yet. If it was just an illusion then Naru would never let her hear the end of it.

"Aw, wow guys! I've never had such a large party!"

"Yeah, yeah," Monk-san said, but his bad temper melted the instant the young woman gave them a grateful hug.

Halfway through the ice cream social, the door to the office opened with a 'cling' as the golden bell jingled happily. Every looked up; Mai almost dropped her pink plastic cup.

"_Konichiwa_!" the new visitor said, her peach face glowing under her curly indigo hair. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"No, you're fine, come on in, Shino-san," Monk-san said, getting up so Koaimi Shino could take his seat.

"Oh please, call me Koaimi," the teenager said, handing a package to Mai. "And stay in your seat; I can't stay long."

Mai gaped at the young woman; almost a year ago Shibuya Psychic Research Center, also called SPR, had taken on a case about a missing girl. Unfortunately, they realized that a strange phenomenon called the Relic Night allowed spirits to roam the earth for a week. The people in Koaimi's town were all psychics, and celebrated the Night more as a festival. As it turned out, the missing girl, Koaimi's little cousin Reimi, had been hiding in the graveyard to help Koaimi's deceased sister, Kimiko (called Kiko), banished her evil dead boyfriend Nicolas to the afterlife. Mai had learned how to expand her powers and she even exorcized a spirit!

"Mai? Are you still there?" Koaimi said, waving her hands in front of Mai's face. Mai came back from her daydreaming, but felt a weird sensation in her mind, as if someone were sorting through her mind for memories. Mai shook her head to get rid of the feeling, but she realized Koaimi was using telepathy on her. Koaimi, like only 10 percent of the psychic world, possessed both psychokinetic powers (PK) and extra-sensory perception (ESP). Kiko had been another person with both powers.

"I'm still here," Mai said, hoping Koaimi hadn't actually seen what she was spacing out about. "What is it?"

"I said happy birthday," Koaimi giggled. "Well, enjoy your present. I'll see you later!"

The girl waved her way out of the room and gently shut the door behind her.

"Hm, has anyone heard from her before now?" Ayako asked, adjusting the party hat on her head.

"I've been writing to her on and off," Mai said absently as she opened the present Koaimi had given her. "She's doing well."

"I suppose it is difficult for her to come visit us," John Brown spoke up, stuffing a plastic fork with cake in his mouth. "I mean, she practically lives on the other side of Japan."

"Still…" Ayako argued but she trailed off.

"Happy birthday, Mai," Naru said, emerging from his office. He tossed his own neatly-wrapped present in Mai's small pile and returned to his office.

"Don't party too late. I don't need any pitiful excuses tomorrow about why you're late."

Mai glared at Naru, almost crunching Koaimi's presents in her deathly grip.

"What's that, Mai?" Monk-san said, looking at the small knick-knack. "Another charm?"

A year ago after Mai helped to free Koaimi from the possessions of Kiko and Nick, the young girl had given her a charm bracelet with only a couple of charms. However, every month Koaimi always sent a new charm to Mai in order to protect her from "evil spirits."

"Her parents were psychic researchers," John Brown spoke up. "Of course, charm bracelets were originally created to give its wearer good luck."

Mai had thought for a minute that he had read her mind, but his answer was directed towards Ayako, who had probably asked why Mai's already over-crowded bracelet needed another charm.

"Why's this in the shape of a paw print?" Monk-san asked, holding up Mai's charm to the light. Mai glanced at her hand and realized somehow the blonde monk had managed to take it out of her death grip. "A werewolf?"

"Or perhaps a man-eating puppy?" Ayako joked. Lin, who had been busy cleaning up the litter from the small get together, stopped for a moment to observe the small black-and-silver charm.

"Sasquatch."

"Gesundheit," Monk-san said, handing the charm back to the seventeen-year-old.

"No, he means Sasquatch as in Big Foot," John Brown explained.

"Big Foot?" Monk-san replied as if it was the most atrocious and immature thing he'd ever heard of. "That's just a crazy Western legend. There's no such thing as Sas-sa-ku-watch."

"Oh, and fox demons and poltergeists totally don't exist," Ayako said sarcastically. Monk-san opened his mouth to argue but Mai interrupted his supposed-rude comment.

"It's getting late guys, I think I'll go home now."


	3. Chapter 2: Moment Too Late

_**Ghost Hunt: Family Ties**_

**Chapter Two: **Moment Too Late

"_How may I help you, 'boss'?"_

_This chapter was just a little Ka-Zumi09 funness. (Katrina + Izumi Ka-Zumi. Get it? No…) It's just how I would define Naru's day before Mai showed up without (much) fluffiness. Unfortunately, I've still only read Volumes 1-7 so my knowledge is limited by the few I know. Anyways, enjoy!_

---

The chill coming in through Naru's office window was unusually cold and dry.

It sent an unwanted chill down his spine.

He shuffled through the papers of potential candidates to investigate. Mai hadn't come in yet; she was probably exhausted after partying all night with her school friends. After all, there was only one time a year that Mai could feel special and be with her friends; Naru wouldn't chew her out.

Well, he'd still yell at her of course, but he'd try to keep his insults to a minimum. Apparently, even at his minimum is still too much for others.

But he knew Mai was strong, he could see it in her attitude and her job performance, and he felt somewhat proud as he realized that he helped shape her into the strong individual she was now compared to the shaky assistant girl she had been.

But, she was still quirky Mai, no matter what he molded her in to.

Naru closed his eyes and sighed, putting his head on the cool mahogany table. Whether she needed the sleep or not, he still needed her for today's hard work. Naru lifted his head up and looked at the black phone sitting on the corner of his desk. Sure she'd hate him for waking her up, but he'd make it up to her later. Right now he couldn't do his job without her. Naru reluctantly lifted up his hand and reached for the smooth phone. Just as Naru lifted the phone off the cradle, the office door opened up. Naru turned the gesture into dusting off the phone and glared at his unwanted visitor.

"What?" Naru said through his teeth, trying to force his temper in.

"They're here," Lin said, frowning. "Taniyama-san still isn't here."

"I'm fully aware of that," Naru said, annoyed. But being annoyed wouldn't get Mai there faster. Instead, the chief sighed and nodded to his assistant.

"Alright, I just have one call to make."

-------

The ringing phone jerked Mai from her wanted sleep. She groaned and rolled over, putting the pillow over her ears to drown out the annoying noise. After the fourth ring, Mai heard a click and a voice.

"Mushi-mushi?"

The young brunette's eyes flew open. With her heart thundering in her chest, the girl cautiously rolled over to peer out of her open bedroom door. Mai didn't remember what time she had gotten home, she didn't even remember _how_ she had got to her apartment, but she hoped that, above all things, she had locked the door. But, even as she listened to this stranger talk on her phone now, she was sure she hadn't done the latter.

"Of course…yeah. Don't you worry yourself; I'll get you an autograph. Don't call here anymore…"

Mai wondered why a stranger would burst into her home to gossip over nonsense. Wouldn't a payphone have worked?

But, Mai felt a weird sense of security at the stranger's unanimous voice. The girl's eyes wandered over to the limp beanbag chair over in the corner of her room. It had been occupied; an American teen magazine lay open on the floor before the sack, an open soda bottle was half drunk, and a small bowl full of what appeared to be grapes (judging by the smaller sour ones still left in the porcelain dish) were abandoned next to the can. Mai sat up and realized she was still in her normal clothes from the previous day. However, a good-sized stack of presents, a few still wrapped, lay next to the foot of her futon.

"I'll call you later, Rei-Rei…no, I will not steal a pen from "Shibuya-sama"…yes, I'll tell Mai you said hi…tell mom I love her. Ok, _tschuss_!"

Mai heard the phone click back onto the holder. If she had any brain cells whatsoever, she would've plopped back onto the mattress and pretend she was asleep, but she was too fascinated by the visitor to pretend anything.

The visitor stepped into the bedroom again, sighing. She was wearing long black-heeled boots over dark blue denim caprice. Her white tee dress shirt had small black vertical stripes and a short black vest complimented the outfit nicely. Her indigo-black curls were pushed back with a diamond studded headband and her arms and neck were adorned with diamond jewelry. Whether she dressed like a celebrity often or not, the girl looked amazing.

"You look like you just stepped out of your magazine," Mai said in awe. The visitor paused, stunned for a moment, but gave Mai a smile, her violet eyes glistening.

"Thanks Mai-chan! You look…nice yourself."

Mai looked at her wrinkled skirt and tee-shirt before grinning. "Heheh…nice try. Was that your cousin on the phone?"

Koaimi pushed a loose strand of curly hair out of her face before nodding. "Yup. Ever since my mother allowed me to come to Tokyo, Rei's been begging me to do stuff to Naru-san."

"Oh, the poor thing," Mai said, wondering if she meant Naru or Reimi, but she was spared a reply when Koaimi plopped back on to her beanbag and picked up her magazine again.

"Um, how'd you get in?" Mai asked, pulling back her blankets and climbing out of bed. "I didn't lock the door last night, did I?"

"Oh, you did," Koaimi said absently, flipping through her strange foreign magazine. "Naru has a spare key for emergencies."

"Naru!" Mai said, suddenly remembering she had to be at work. "What time is it?"

"About one-thirty last I checked," the raven-haired girl replied. "Don't worry about it. The interview's over."

"Yeah," Mai said, amazed at how she had managed to sleep so long. "What was the interview about anyway?"

"Who would fill in for him while he's out of town," the girl said, not taking her eyes off the page as she picked up her soda and took a swig. "He's at some conference in Hong Cong, I think. He'll be back tomorrow."

Mai frowned, disappointed. Surely he had mentioned the conference to her before? Mai tried to rack her brain, but her head felt airy for a moment.

"He didn't tell anyone," Koaimi said, quickly glancing up at Mai. "Not even Lin. I tried to get into Naru's mind, but he's very skilled at blocking his thoughts. He's not a genius because of his good looks."

_His good looks are enough,_ Mai thought. Instantly, she realized Koaimi hadn't pulled out of her head yet. The younger teen smirked before breaking the telepathy. Mai blushed and cleared her throat.

"Who got the job?"

"I did," the raven-haired girl said, reading the last page of her magazine. "Hm…maybe I'll visit Aunt Laura in California to go on a shopping spree. These boots are adorable."


	4. Chapter 3: Little Warrior with Dreams

_**Ghost Hunt: Family Ties**_

**Chapter Three**: Little Warrior with Dreams

"_But, I got nervous a moment there…"_

_Woot,a short Chapter 3! This is dedicated to all those "Bigfoots" out there! Especially our own hiya24 :D Enjoy!_

_Xoxo, KaZumi09_

_P.S I added a poll to my page, it's just asking what I should write after this fanfic story. If I get 100 votes I'll write a nice fluff on Mai x Naru :D_

---

"Please, Papa! Don't!"

The large man with dark skin turned to look at his daughter. "_Do not be afraid, Little Warrior with Dreams,_" the burly man said to his daughter in a strange language. The little girl gulped; she hadn't been called that name since…since her family lost their land to the white men many years ago. Even though her father, mother, grandmother, aunts, uncles, brothers and sister didn't hold any grudges, they still hated the fact the man of the house had to leave for work every time those wretched men called him. Little Warrior with Dreams, now called Mika ("it's pronounced 'mee-cah'" she would tell her teachers every time they pronounced her name wrong on the attendance sheet), allowed the tears to spill from her cheeks as she watched her large father disappear into the horizon. Mika turned around and ran back to her family's estate. It was a small-sized mansion given to her family by the intruding men who took her family's land. It was always dusty and dark, but it served her family needs quite well. Mika noticed her family outside of the house; her eighty-year-old grandmother rocking in her chair under the shade of the porch's roof, her three brothers ranging from six to eleven played marbles in the grass, her aunt (who had just turned seven, about three years younger than Mika!) giggled as her father pushed her in the tire swing hanging from the old oak tree to the west of the house, and her eldest sister, Hiya, sat with her legs crossed on the ground, tinkering with her 'zehl fohn' as Mika's grandmother called it. Hiya, the blooming nineteen-year-old that she was, was the first to notice Mika's return.

"Hey, Mi-Mi, come and stand right here, my phone can't get a signal."

"Why are you so cruel, Wind of the Valley?" Mika cried out. Hiya frowned at her Indian name. Although Mika (and her little brothers) was the only one in the current family that spoke English without an accent, she spoke Lakota extremely fluently. Mika's mother looked up from her porch swing. Mika's mother, who had immigrated to Washington in her late teens, was the only one in the estate who didn't have a single ounce of Sioux blood in her.

"Little Warrior with Dreams, you must understand you're Papa has work to do to keep us fed and clothes," the Japanese woman said in her native tongue. Mika was glad she had been brought up on three languages, but right now she despised English for what it did to her father.

What it did to her family.

---

It was well past time for Mika's father to return home and her mother was growing worried every minute, but she was well at hiding it.

"I think it's time for your bedtime," Suzi said to her daughters and sons and little sister-in-law. "We have an early day ahead of us."

Mika reluctantly went to her room, but didn't get into bed. She turned off her table lamp, the first time she had been in the dark for a long time, and sat on the windowsill, waiting for her father to return from the west. Something was coming from the west; it was human shaped, but almost twice the size of a normal man. What was it?

Mika fell asleep at the window and had a strange dream about the strange creature.


	5. Chapter 4: Dance with Destiny

_**Ghost Hunt: Family Ties**_

**Chapter Four**: Dance with Destiny

"_I don't want you to hate me [for anything…"_

Probably the last update of the month…Farewell, November 2007!!

---

"You did what?!"

Koaimi looked up at the girl with mild interest. "I said I'm thinking about visiting my aunt for new shoes. Is it immoral?"

"No, I mean, the job," Mai said, reaching into her small closet for new clothes. For an orphan, she realized, she had a large variety of cute clothes.

"Oh, yeah," Koaimi said, sliding off the beanbag onto Mai's unmade bed so she could get comfortable in the blankets and sheet. "Naru hired me. I was the only one he allowed to see. I was lucky; there were many men there who had degrees in ghost hunting. I wonder why I got the job…"

_I do to,_ Mai thought, but she quickly pushed it out of her mind. The last thing she needed was to upset her "boss" with harmful thoughts. "What's the first order of action?"

"I'm not sure," Koaimi said, hiding her face behind her magazine to allow Mai to change without it turning into a theater. "Naru said he'd call me tonight. Guess I'm just keeping the seat warm for him today."

"Don't worry, the heat's already doing it for him," Mai said absently as she slipped on a tee shirt and miniskirt, debating whether the weather was too hot to put on a woolen vest.

Koaimi let out a scoff before slamming her magazine shut and tossing it into a corner. "Well, either way, I think I should be getting back to the office. Care to join me?"

"I guess, after all, why else have you been here all morning?" Mai replied as she tossed her vest back onto its hanger. Koaimi grinned and took her dishes and empty bottle to the kitchen before leaving the apartment.

_I meant it as a real question, why were you in my house?_ Mai thought as she shut the door behind her and locked it.

---

Naru sighed and glanced around the ballroom. Many of the people were wearing bright pastel dresses and masks. Most of the people wore kimonos or dark cheongsams and qípáos. There was the many Victorian dresses or ballroom gowns, but now as popular as the Oriental ceremonial wardrobe.

"Well, well, well. It it isn't Kazuya," said a young woman. She was only of the few woman to wear a bright pink ballroom gown. It reached the floor and covered her shoes, but the strapless top drew attention to her neck with clad quite a few amulets and diamond necklaces. Naru suddenly felt out of place as he realized he was wearing his usual black clad.

"Care for a dance, Kazi?" the woman was speaking from behind her peacock-feathered fan. Unlike the other young women, she didn't wear a mask to conceal her dark rich brown eyes. The corner of her eyes slanted slightly upward and her charcoal colored hair was wrapped into a neat bun in the back of her head, held together by a formal speckled clip. Naru took a sip of his punch to avoid getting into conversation with her.

"It's nice to have reunions like this," the woman said, lowering her fan enough to reveal her full cherry-red lips. "Gets all of us together."

Naru simply nodded and, draining his cup, placed it back on the table. He turned to leave but the woman quickly grabbed him by the elbow.

"Please, Shibuya-san. Just one dance? We don't get to see each other too often."

Naru remained silent for a moment. After a minute, he sighed and agreed to humiliate himself in front of his relatives.

"Just one."

The woman smiled and slammed her fan next to Naru's empty cup before dragging him by the wrist to the dance floor. She looped her right hand through his left and modestly placed his right hand on her waist.

"You're an outstanding dancer, Shibuya-san," the woman said, grinning.

It was true. It wasn't a talent he shared quite often as it was extremely useless unless he went to dances, which he never did. Many of the dancers stopped to stare at them, watched every step and sway as they waltzed gently through the music in unison. After a long agonizing minute, the music ceased and Naru broke the alligence. He pushed through the group of clapping observers and went back to the party table, deciding he stayed long enough. Just as he went to turn and leave, something pulled on his arm. He turned, alarmed and embarassed, only to realize it was his dance partner.

"Hiko.." he said but she silenced him with her hand.

"I know, it's too much for you," she said, her eyes lowering to the floor. "But, thank you. I don't get to see you often, my dear cousin."

Naru sighed as a strange emotion rose inside of him. He only experienced it everytime he saw the hurt look on Mai's face: guilt.

"You can come visit me in Japan anytime you'd like," he found himself saying. "But for now I must go."

Hiko let go of him and watched as he left, without another backwards glance. She picked up her feathered fan and looked around the room for other victims to dance with.


	6. Chapter 5: Unwanted

_**Ghost Hunt: Family Ties**_

**Chapter Five**: Unwanted

"_We've only just stared searching."_

Anyway, I've decided to split this story into two volumes, like Shiho-sama does xD I have all my ideas down already, but it's already chapter five and SPR virtually hasn't gotten anywhere /: I really don't want to exceed twelve chapters but…oh well, we'll see stay tuned! Enjoy!

xoxox, KaZumi09

---

_Mai…_

The brunette glanced up, wondering how she had got to where she was.

And what was she _wearing_?

A white porcelain mask with bright feathers sticking from the side rested on her face. If she even turned her face the wrong way, the mask could make her bleed instantly. However, her paranoia ceased when she noticed the large white ball gown she _definitely_ didn't get into that morning. What was even stranger was the room she had landed into.

Mai proceeded down the large marble staircase into the European style ballroom. Many men and women were dancing happily, some mingling, some snacking, some discussing business at a nearby table. But she wondered how she had gotten there. Was she seeing behind the eyes of a European princess from almost five hundred years ago?

It could only be a dream, she realized at once as she stood next to the punch table. She closed her eyes and opened them a few times, but her dream remained put.

_This feels so real,_ she thought as a chill went down her spine. _Whose eyes am I looking from? But…these are still my own thoughts._

"Would you like a dance, miss?"

Mai glanced up. A tall handsome man stood before her; a black mask covered his face, he was wearing long black cape over his black tuxedo.

Mai opened her mouth, wondering what she would say, except that they were her own words.

"I can't dance."

However, she lifted her hand automatically up and the man took it in his own warm hands before leading her to the center of the dance hall.

"It's alright," he whispered to her as he put her hand on his shoulder. "Just follow me."

Mai surprised herself as he led her, gracefully, around the dance floor. A few couples stopped to watch, applauding. She blushed but enjoyed this moment. She'd never kissed a boy before; she'd never hugged anyone of the opposite sex before (Monk-san didn't count)!

"Are you enjoying yourself?" the man asked her, his voice eerily familiar. Mai nodded about to say "yes" but the couple behind the man bumped into him, causing his mask to loosed and fall like a feather to the floor. Mai broke the dance and stepped back, surprised.

"Naru?!"

Of course, it was obvious, she thought, angry, even as he stared blankly at her.

"Why?"

"_Thank you_," Dream-Naru said, smiling at her. "_I haven't danced in awhile_."

_Mai._

The brunette opened her mouth to say something back, but the hall was dissolving along with Naru.

_Mai_.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Mai shouted, but the dream was fading and soon she'd be awake.

_Mai._

"Naru!"

_Dammit, Mai. Wake up!_

---

Mai jerked away when a splash of water fell on her face. Koaimi towered over her holding a cup, glowering.

"Had a nice nap?"

"Yes, boss," Mai said, yawning and stretching. _Although the dream was weird._

Mai wondered if Koaimi had caught the thought, but the girl was too busy being angry to notice or care.

"Shibuya-san will be back soon," Koaimi said. "He said we were to go to the café downtown to meet 'em."

"Great, do we have to?" Mai thought out loud. She was used to having Koaimi read her every thought, so just said them out loud to avoid having that airy feeling in her head every time the girl prowled through her thoughts.

"Unfortunately, yes," said Koaimi. She picked up a manila folder containing some case or cases that Mai and Naru usually poured through to find potential candidates to research. Unfortunatly, it wasn't as thick as usual.

"Is that our new case?" Mai asked, stifling a yawn. She failed.

"I think so," Koaimi answered, realizing that she was still holding the envelope. "Anyway, what were you dreaming about? Shibuya-san says that you usually don't dream until you're actually _on _the case."

"Yeah, it was nothing special," Mai replied. She stretched again and felt her head become airy again. She slowly pushed Koaimi out of her mind; after having Koaimi do it quite often, Mai found it easier and easier to push her out of her mind.

"Hm, I see," Koaimi said, frowning. Mai stood to her feet and opened the window, thrusting her head into the afternoon air.

"Did Naru, er-I mean, Shibuya-san, say when he was coming home?"

Koaimi glanced up from the manila folder for a minute to glance at the girl cooling off in the humid, moist summer air.

"No, he didn't, now that I recall."

"Then we have a problem," Mai said, pulling her head back in and turning to her boss. "Take a look."

Koaimi jumped to her feet, now curious, and took her turn staring out of the window. Her eyes widened as a taxi stood outside in front of the entrance, the cab driver lifting heavy bags out of the trunk.

"We're supposed to head to the café! I can't deal with visitors, even if they are clients."

"That's my job."

Koaimi and Mai paled before simultaneously spinning around. Naru walked past them and hung his coat on a hook near his door before entering, glaring at the two young women.

"Why aren't you at the café?"

"Why are you back?" Mai remarked, the first to recover. "I thought you were at some convention or something."

"I returned early," Naru said bluntly, taking a seat in his desk and closing his eyes as he put his head in his hands.

_He's so handsome_, Mai thought. She observed Koaimi through her peripheral vision, but the girl was too busy trying to trespass into Naru's mind to pay any attention to Mai's rants.

"You didn't come alone," Koaimi concluded, her eyes returning to their normal violet. "Don't look at me like that, Mai. It's obvious; Naru didn't pack all those bags that the cab man pulled out. Unless he's been sucked into a fetish of kimonos and Beatles merchandise, of course."

Mai rolled her eyes, but the door behind her opened and someone stepped in. It wasn't Lin or any other members of the SPR team. Mai tilted her head to the side curiously and sighed.

"Who are you?"

Naru, still keeping his eyes closed, lay back in his chair and crossed his arms and legs. Very seriously, he replied, "That will be revealed in the next chapter."


	7. Author's Note: HUH?

Temporary Hiatus

**Temporary Hiatus…?**

--

Author's note:

You're probably thinking "huuuuuuuuuh?! She hasn't updated since Christmas and now she wants to stop this story?! WTF, mate?"

I'm sorry, sorry!! But I'm really not up to finishing up GH: FT right now, but I will! Summer vacation's coming up soon so updates will come often!

As for now, however, I'm working on a Ghost Hunt mini project that I started right after _Cursed Relics_ but wasn't able to complete it because I didn't have enough info. But I've finished volumes 8 and 9 (10 better come out soon!) and now I'm writing the story I've been wanting to write for awhile. It's called "Ghost Hunt: Soap Opera."

Yeah, lame title. It's not as scary as it sounds though!

Anyway, it would also help me if you threw some ideas out. What do you want to see in this story? Haha, rhymes all the times!) NaruxMai fluff? Maybe even LinxNaru fluff? Do you want Koaimi get hit by a bulldozer? Or even Naru to give CPR to a frog? Throw out anything you want to read about! I've got the big general picture in mind, but in Ghost Hunt, we've got to laugh a little with the characters when situations get really bad.

Thanks for your time and patience!

Love,  
Katrina.Izumi09


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